The Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race (S2A) is now into its fifth day, with crews approaching the finish line and looking forward to their arrival at the Royal Akarana Yacht Club (RAYC), a co-host of the event with the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (RPAYC).
At 1250 nautical miles, the S2A is the longest fully crewed race out of Australia. Recent light winds have made the final miles challenging for some competitors.
Michael Martin’s TP52, Frantic, overtook Geoff Hill’s Santa Cruz 72, Antipodes, as the breeze lightened yesterday afternoon. Frantic’s lighter hull has given it an advantage in the light air, although the journey has not been without difficulties. With 123 nautical miles to go and an estimated arrival in Auckland post-9pm tonight, Martin remarked on the boat’s progress and the challenges faced in low winds.
“We had a discussion on how we were going to move the boat to the finish line sitting on 1.5 knots. After some heated discussions, we managed to get it going, but it was a tough time,” he stated. As they sailed along the New Zealand coast, he expressed excitement about the beautiful surroundings and their imminent arrival.
Frantic’s crew member, Jane Roberts, shared their excitement as they sailed along the stunning New Zealand coastline. “We managed to keep the boat ghosting along from Cape Reinga to North Cape during the night – a real mental challenge after so many miles,” she noted.
At 9am, Antipodes, the 2023 line honours victor and race record holder, was 173 nautical miles from the finish line, trailing Frantic by 50 nautical miles. Brad Kellett from Antipodes reflected on the previous day’s difficulties, stating, “It’s been a tough day getting sailed around…” He reported a disappointing day, with their boat speed dropping significantly after an initial burst of speed. They were able to finally escape the lighter breezes that hindered their progress overnight.
Behind Antipodes, Ian Edwards’ Dehler 46, Wings, and Alan Hill’s Swan 48, Cooloola, were making solid progress. Wings was travelling at 7-8.1 knots, leading in the ORCi category, while Cooloola was slightly behind at 9.5 knots. The crew on Cooloola enjoyed pleasant distractions during their slow day, sharing moments with dolphins and albatrosses while finding wind late in the evening.
The RPAYC Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race, sponsored by Harken and Palm Beach Motor Yachts, started at 1pm last Saturday from Watsons Bay on Sydney Harbour.
Enthusiasts can follow the fleet’s every move via the Yellow Brick tracker at: https://pro.yb.tl/S2AOR25 or download the Yellow Brick app.
For all information on the Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race, please visit: www.sydneytoauckland.com
Di Pearson/Sydney to Auckland media
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